Korea has become the center of international education with over 100,000 foreign students studying in Korea as of April, 2018. The vast majority of these students are from developing countries and they have a great interest in understanding the experience of Korea’s remarkable economic and social development during the last half a century.

While studying in Korea, they also wish to gain valuable lessons and learn knowledge from Korean experience which, in turn, promotes goodwill and national development as they return back to their own countries.

As part of its ongoing efforts to promote Korea and Korean culture, the Sunnong Culture Forum has organized “Leadership Academy” to meet the desire of those students by offering a specially designed international course on development cooperation.

Among many other things, Leadership Academy Program will study unique Korean development experiences in transforming itself from aid recipient to donor with strong emphasis on self-help and a sense of ownership. Korean experience to escape from poverty trap and overcome aid dependence will be presented with some case studies.

Leadership Academy Program will also present background information on key development issues facing the developing countries such as mindset, aid dependence, corruption, inequality, empowerment of women, and leadership. In particular, Leadership Academy Program plans to introduce different and conflicting arguments on major development issues so that the students could develop their own critical perspectives.

Considering that participating students are from the developing or emerging countries, Leadership Academy Program will assist them to reflect on present economic and social situation of their own countries and explore possible policy options to address their development challenges.

Contents of Leadership Academy Program are specially designed to promote the “Can-Do-Spirit” and nurture ownership and leadership for the participating students who will become aspiring leaders of their own countries in the future. It is expected that Leadership Academy Program will serve not only as a unique venue to share Korean development experience but also as an open forum to promote goodwill and friendship among participating students from many different countries.